Tag: Chinese Mythology

Chinese Mythology: Chang’e Flying To The Moon

In the long history of Chinese culture, the story of Chang’e flying to the moon is like a bright pearl, illuminating the night sky of countless people and becoming a household myth. This story not only contains rich cultural connotations, but also embodies people’s yearning for a better life and their loyalty to love. This article will comprehensively interpret this legend that has been passed down through the ages from multiple aspects, including the origin, development, cultural connotation, and influence of the legend of Chang’e in history and literature.

  1. The origin of the legend of Chang’e
    The myth of Chang’e flying to the moon was first seen in the “Huainanzi Wai Ba Pian” written in the Western Han Dynasty, which is a work that integrates philosophy, history, and mythology. The book records: “In the past, Yi was hunting in the mountains and met Da’e under a laurel tree. By the time of Yao, ten suns came out at the same time…Yi asked the Queen Mother of the West for the elixir of immortality and entrusted it to Da’e. Feng Meng went to steal it, but failed and wanted to harm Da’e. Da’e had no idea, so she swallowed the elixir of immortality and ascended to heaven. However, she couldn’t bear to leave Yi and stayed in the Moon Palace.” The “Da’e” here refers to the later Chang’e, who was changed to “Heng’e” to avoid the name of Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, and then gradually evolved into the well-known “Chang’e”.

In addition to “Huainanzi”, earlier documents such as “Gui Zang” also have records about Chang’e flying to the moon, but they are relatively brief, only saying that Chang’e took the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West and ran to the Moon Palace to become a moon spirit, and had not yet had a direct connection with Hou Yi. This shows that the legend of Chang’e flying to the moon existed in the pre-Qin period and gradually enriched and improved with the passage of time.

  1. The development and evolution of the legend of Chang’e
    The legend of Chang’e flying to the moon has been continuously processed and interpreted in later generations, forming multiple versions. The most well-known version is that Chang’e flew to the Moon Palace because she stole Hou Yi’s immortal medicine. This version gradually became dominant after the Han Dynasty and has been widely circulated to this day.
  2. The addition of Hou Yi
    In the original records of Huainanzi, there is no clear mention of the husband-wife relationship between Hou Yi (i.e. Dayi) and Chang’e. But after the Han Dynasty, especially with the rise of Confucianism and the needs of the rulers, Chang’e and Hou Yi were portrayed as a loving couple. This change not only adds drama and emotional color to the story, but also makes it more in line with the loyal love and family ethics advocated by Confucian culture.
  3. The enrichment and refinement of the story
    In later legends, the story of Chang’e flying to the moon was further enriched and refined. For example, the plots of Wu Gang cutting cassia and Jade Rabbit pounding medicine were added, making the Moon Palace a place full of mystery and romance. At the same time, Chang’e was also given the reputation of “Guanghan Fairy” and became a symbol of beauty, nobility and loneliness in people’s minds.
  4. Re-creation of literature and art
    The legend of Chang’e flying to the moon is not only circulated in oral narration and folk tales, but also widely quoted and re-created by literati and poets. From Tang poetry and Song lyrics to Yuan opera, Ming and Qing novels, to modern operas, movies, TV series and other art forms, the legend of Chang’e can be seen. These works not only enrich the cultural connotation and artistic expression of the legend of Chang’e, but also make it more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
  5. The cultural connotation of the legend of Chang’e
    The legend of Chang’e flying to the moon is not just a simple mythological story, it also contains rich cultural connotations and profound ideological implications.
  6. Yearning for a better life
    Chang’e flew to the moon palace because of stealing the immortal medicine. Although she gained the ability to live forever, she also lost the opportunity to reunite with her relatives. This plot reflects the ancient people’s desire for immortality and their helplessness in real life. At the same time, the Guanghan Palace, osmanthus trees, jade rabbits and other elements in the Moon Palace also constitute a poetic ideal world, which embodies people’s yearning and pursuit for a better life.
  7. Praise for loyal love
    The deep love between Chang’e and Houyi is one of the most touching parts of the story. Although Chang’e left Houyi due to unavoidable reasons, her longing and attachment to Houyi never changed. This loyal love concept not only conforms to the husband-wife way and family ethics advocated by Confucian culture, but also deeply touches the hearts of countless readers.
  8. Concern for the fate of women
    As the heroine in the story, Chang’e’s fate also aroused people’s attention to the status and fate of women. In ancient society, women were often in a disadvantaged position, and their fate was often dominated and restricted by men and society. Although the legend of Chang’e flying to the moon gave women extraordinary abilities and status, it also implied the helplessness and struggle of women in the face of difficulties. This concern for the fate of women not only reflects the humanistic care spirit of ancient literati, but also provides us with useful inspiration for exploring women’s issues today.

What Magic Does Sun Wukong Have?

Sun Wukong, as the core character in Journey to the West, possesses many magical and powerful spells. These spells not only enable him to achieve great success on the journey to the West, but also make him a symbol of wisdom, courage and great magical powers in Chinese culture. The following is a summary and analysis of Sun Wukong’s main spells:

  1. Seventy-two Transformations
    Seventy-two Transformations is one of Sun Wukong’s most well-known spells. It does not mean that Sun Wukong can only transform into seventy-two forms, but describes his versatility and great magical powers. This spell allows Sun Wukong to transform into different forms in different situations, whether it is a person, an animal, an object, or even a god or a ghost, he can transform at will. Seventy-two Transformations are not only used to confuse the enemy and avoid danger, but also often play a key role in battle, allowing Sun Wukong to flexibly respond to various challenges.
  2. Somersault Cloud
    Somersault Cloud is another iconic spell of Sun Wukong, and it is also his fastest way of flying between heaven and earth. One somersault can cross 108,000 miles, a speed that no one in Journey to the West can match. The Somersault Cloud not only allows Sun Wukong to travel quickly between places on his journey to the West, but also often becomes his magic weapon to escape from difficulties in emergency situations.
  3. The Heaven and Earth
    The Heaven and Earth is a transformation spell. After casting, Sun Wukong’s height will become ten thousand feet high, and his attack power and attack range will be greatly improved. This spell not only makes Sun Wukong look extremely powerful visually, but also enhances his combat effectiveness in actual combat. In the battles with powerful enemies such as Erlang Shen, Sun Wukong has cast the Heaven and Earth many times, showing amazing strength.
  4. External Incarnation
    The external incarnation, also known as the clone technique, is a spell that Sun Wukong uses the hair on his body to transform. He can chew the hair and spray it out, and transform into countless clones to assist himself in fighting or completing other tasks. These clones are not only similar to Sun Wukong’s body, but also have a certain combat effectiveness, allowing Sun Wukong to be at ease when facing many enemies. In addition, Sun Wukong can also separate his clone from his main body to conduct long-distance reconnaissance or attack.
  5. Fire Eyes
    Fire Eyes is a magical power that Sun Wukong cultivated in the Eight Diagrams Furnace of Taishang Laojun, which can see through all falsehoods and disguises. On the way to the West to obtain scriptures, Sun Wukong used his fire eyes to see through the true form and tricks of monsters many times, and escorted the safety of the team. Fire eyes not only gave Sun Wukong the upper hand in battle, but also enabled him to see through people’s hearts and distinguish right from wrong in daily life.
  6. Water Avoidance
    Water Avoidance is a spell used by Sun Wukong when fighting underwater, which allows him to breathe freely and move freely in the water. This spell is crucial for Sun Wukong, because he often needs to cross rivers, lakes and seas on the way to obtain scriptures and fight monsters in the water. The use of Water Avoidance allows Sun Wukong to maintain a strong combat effectiveness underwater and is not affected by the water environment.
  7. Soul Out of Body
    Soul Out of Body is a spell that allows Sun Wukong to separate his soul from his body to carry out other activities. This spell allows Sun Wukong’s soul to leave his body to explore the enemy, find items or perform other tasks without moving his body. Soul Out of Body not only makes Sun Wukong more flexible in battle, but also enables him to solve many difficult problems in daily life.
  8. Three Heads and Six Arms
    Three Heads and Six Arms is a special form that Sun Wukong shows in battle. He can grow two extra heads and four arms in a short period of time, so that he can fight in all directions without dead ends. In this form, Sun Wukong not only has a greatly increased attack power, but can also deal with enemy attacks in multiple directions at the same time. The use of three heads and six arms makes Sun Wukong more brave and invincible in battle, becoming the enemy’s nightmare.
  9. The Art of Blowing Hair to Change into Monkey
    The Art of Blowing Hair to Change into Monkey is a new spell created by Sun Wukong combining the Seventy-two Transformations and the Incarnation. He can turn the hair on his body into countless little monkeys to assist him in fighting or completing other tasks. These little monkeys are not only numerous but also fast, and can put great pressure on the enemy in a short time. The use of the technique of blowing hair to change into a monkey makes Sun Wukong more handy in battle and can easily deal with various complex situations.
  10. Other spells
    In addition to the main spells listed above, Sun Wukong also mastered many other powerful spells. For example:

Fixed body method: can fix the enemy’s body and make it unable to move.
Draw a circle on the ground: use the golden hoop to draw a circle to resist the monsters.
Summoning method: chanting spells to summon mountain gods and other small gods to help.
Calling wind and rain: controlling weather changes by chanting spells.
Capturing method: using strong winds to take people and objects away.
Life-saving hair: three life-saving hairs given by Guanyin Bodhisattva can save lives in critical moments.
These spells are unique and powerful, making Sun Wukong an omnipotent mythical hero in “Journey to the West”.

In summary, Sun Wukong’s magic is diverse and powerful, which not only enables him to achieve great success on the journey to the West, but also makes him a symbol of wisdom, courage and power in Chinese culture. The use of these magic not only demonstrates Sun Wukong’s wisdom and courage, but also reflects his flexibility and firm belief in the face of difficulties and challenges.

Wha IS Sun Wukong

Sun Wukong, as the core character in the Chinese classic “Journey to the West”, is a well-known mythical hero. He is not only the soul of this literary masterpiece, but also a symbol of wisdom and courage in Chinese culture, daring to resist authority, and pursuing freedom and justice.

  1. The birth and growth of Sun Wukong
    The birth of Sun Wukong is full of fantasy. According to legend, there is a magical fairy stone on the Flower and Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country, Dongsheng Shenzhou. It has been influenced by the beauty of nature and the essence of the sun and the moon for a long time, and it has the meaning of spiritual communication. The fairy cell inside burst one day and produced a stone egg as big as a ball. Because of the wind, it turned into a stone monkey. This is the initial form of Sun Wukong. He named himself “Monkey King” and led a group of monkeys to live a carefree life in Flower and Fruit Mountain.

However, Sun Wukong was not satisfied with the status quo. He longed for immortality, so he traveled across the ocean and experienced hardships. Finally, he became a disciple of Bodhi Patriarch and learned magical skills such as 72 transformations and somersault cloud. After returning from his studies, Sun Wukong not only had great skills, but also possessed extraordinary wisdom and courage, which laid the foundation for his legendary experience in the future.

  1. Sun Wukong’s personality characteristics
    Unruly and daring to resist: Sun Wukong’s biggest characteristic is his rebellious spirit. Whether it is the authority of the heavenly court or the threats of demons and monsters, he dares to challenge and is not afraid of power. This spirit is reflected in his series of behaviors such as making trouble in the heavenly palace, disrupting the peach banquet, and stealing elixirs, showing his heroic image of not fearing difficulties and daring to fight.
    Extraordinary wit and good at adaptability: Sun Wukong’s wisdom is also commendable. He is good at observation and can quickly see the essence of things; he is witty and flexible, and can always come up with solutions to problems at critical moments. Whether it is fighting wits and courage with the enemy or resolving various crises on the way to obtain scriptures, he has shown extraordinary wisdom and talent.
    Loyalty and righteousness, protecting the master: Although Sun Wukong has a bit of naughtiness and rebellion in his character, his loyalty to his master Tang Seng is impeccable. No matter how big the difficulties and challenges are, he always sticks to Tang Seng and protects him from harm. This loyalty and righteousness have established a taller heroic image in the hearts of readers.
    Humorous and humane: Sun Wukong is not a cold hero image, he also has a humorous side. On the way to obtain scriptures, he often amuses everyone with witty words and actions, making the originally boring journey lively and interesting. This humanized design makes the image of Sun Wukong more vivid and closer to people’s hearts.
  2. Sun Wukong’s legendary experience
    Sun Wukong’s legendary experience is mainly concentrated in “Journey to the West”, and the story of him accompanying Tang Seng to the West to obtain scriptures has become the main line of the whole novel. In the process of obtaining scriptures, they encountered 81 difficulties, and Sun Wukong, with his extraordinary ability and wisdom, turned danger into safety again and again, protecting his master and fellow apprentices on their way forward safely.

Among them, making trouble in the Heavenly Palace is one of Sun Wukong’s most well-known feats. Dissatisfied with the contempt and restraint of the Heavenly Court, he openly rebelled and fought fiercely with the heavenly soldiers and generals. Although he was eventually pressed under the Five Elements Mountain by the Buddha for five hundred years, his heroic deeds spread throughout the Three Realms and Six Paths, becoming a symbol of resistance to power and pursuit of freedom.

On the way to obtain scriptures, Sun Wukong made many extraordinary achievements. His stories of fighting the White Bone Demon three times, subduing Red Boy, and fighting the King of Gold and Silver Horns all showed his extraordinary wisdom and courage. He is not only a capable assistant to Tang Monk, but also the spiritual pillar of the entire team of obtaining scriptures.

  1. The cultural significance of Sun Wukong
    As the core character in “Journey to the West”, Sun Wukong’s image and significance far exceed the scope of literary works. He is not only a symbol of wisdom and courage in the traditional culture of the Chinese nation, daring to resist authority, and pursuing freedom and justice, but also a role model for people in modern society to pursue self-worth and realize their life ideals.

Sun Wukong’s rebellious spirit encourages people to challenge the status quo and pursue progress; his wisdom and courage inspire people to remain calm and firm in the face of difficulties and challenges. At the same time, Sun Wukong’s loyalty and righteousness also remind people to cherish family and friendship and protect the people and things around them.

In addition, the image of Sun Wukong is also widely used in literature, art, film and television and other fields. His story has been adapted into various forms of works and spread all over the world; his image has also become a messenger of cultural exchange and communication, deepening the understanding and friendship between different countries and nations.

In summary, as the core character in “Journey to the West”, Sun Wukong’s image and significance have surpassed the scope of literary works and become an indispensable part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. With his unique charm and profound cultural connotation, he has influenced generations of readers and audiences and has become an eternal classic.

Chinese Mythology: Pangu Creates The World

The legend of Pangu creating the world is one of the most famous stories in ancient Chinese mythology. It carries the ancients’ endless imagination and exploration of the origin of the universe and the birth of mankind.

  1. The origin and background of the legend
    The legend of Pangu creating the world was first seen in “Sanwu Li Ji” written by Xu Zheng of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. In this ancient book, Xu Zheng constructed a magnificent picture of the beginning of chaos and the birth of heaven and earth with rich imagination and profound philosophy. This legend not only reflects the ancient people’s simple understanding of the formation of the universe, but also expresses their awe and worship of natural forces.
  2. The main content of the legend
  3. Chaos began, Pangu was born
    In ancient times, the universe had not yet formed, and the world was not divided. The whole world was in chaos, like a huge egg, pitch black, unable to distinguish up and down, left and right, and there were no sun, moon, and stars. However, in this chaos, a great life was born-Pangu. He slept in this chaotic “egg” for countless tens of thousands of years, until one day, he suddenly woke up and found that it was pitch black and hot all around, so he decided to use his own power to change everything.
  4. Pangu opened the sky and split the chaos with an axe
    After waking up, Pangu found himself in a small space and could not stretch his hands and feet. He angrily grabbed a large axe that he was born with and chopped around with all his strength. There was a loud bang, deafening, and the chaotic “egg” suddenly broke. The light and clear things in it slowly rose and became the sky; the heavy and turbid things slowly sank and became the earth. Pangu’s axe not only split the chaos, but also created a new era for all things in the world.
  5. Stand up to the sky and stabilize the world
    When the world was first opened, it was not stable, and Pangu was worried that they would close together again. So, he resolutely stood between the world like a pillar with his head on the sky and his feet on the ground. He grew one zhang taller every day, and the sky also rose one zhang taller, and the earth also grew one zhang thicker. In this way, Pangu used his body to support the heaven and earth, allowing them to gradually stabilize. After countless tens of thousands of years of hard work, the heaven and earth finally stabilized and no longer closed. And Pangu, in this process, became a giant who stood tall and upright.
  6. Pangu became everything and created the world
    After the heaven and earth were stable, Pangu also exhausted all his strength and finally fell to the ground. However, his death was not the end, but the beginning of another form. Pangu’s body underwent tremendous changes after his death: his left eye became a bright red sun, and his right eye became a silver moon; his hair and beard became shining stars; his head and hands and feet became the four poles and mountains of the earth; his blood became rivers and lakes; his tendons became roads; his muscles became fertile land; his skin and sweat hair became flowers, plants and trees; his teeth and bones became precious minerals such as gold and silver treasures. Pangu’s body thus became everything and created this colorful world.
  7. The significance and value of legends
  8. Exploration of the origin of the universe
    The legend of Pangu creating the world is a simple and bold exploration of the origin of the universe by the ancients. In ancient times when science and technology were not yet developed, people could not use scientific means to explain the birth and evolution of the universe, so they could only express their imagination and speculation in the form of myths and legends. This legend not only reflects the ancients’ awe and worship of natural forces, but also shows their spirit of courage to explore and dare to imagine.
  9. Praise for human creativity
    In the legend, Pangu is not only a hero who created the world, but also a god who created all things. He used his wisdom and strength to create the world and all things, providing the necessary conditions for human survival and reproduction. This legend not only praises Pangu’s creativity and selfless dedication, but also inspires people to be brave in creation, dare to innovate, and contribute their own strength to the progress and development of society.
  10. Promotion of cultural inheritance
    As an important part of ancient Chinese mythology, the legend of Pangu creating the world not only enriches the connotation and extension of Chinese culture, but also promotes the inheritance and development of culture. This legend has been praised and interpreted by literati and poets of all generations, forming a rich and colorful literary and artistic works. At the same time, it has also become one of the important symbols of the cultural identity of the Chinese nation, enhancing the cohesion and centripetal force of the nation.

IV. Conclusion
The legend of Pangu creating the world is one of the treasures in ancient Chinese mythology. It has attracted the attention and love of countless people with its unique charm and profound connotation. This legend not only allows us to appreciate the imagination and exploration of the ancients on the origin of the universe and the birth of mankind, but also allows us to feel the greatness and infinite possibilities of human creativity.